Spinach Goat Cheese Salad

# What You Need:

01 - 5 ounces baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

02 - 3.5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

03 - ½ cup dried cranberries

04 - ¾ cup candied pecans, roughly chopped

05 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

06 - 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

08 - 1 teaspoon honey

09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Set aside.

02 - In a large salad bowl, add the spinach leaves. Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.

03 - Add the crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, and candied pecans to the salad.

04 - Drizzle over the remaining vinaigrette and toss lightly to combine.

05 - Transfer to serving plates immediately, garnished with extra pecans or cranberries if desired.

01 -

It comes together in the time it takes to set the table, no cooking skills required.
The sweet, tangy, creamy, and crunchy flavors hit every craving at once.
It looks impressive enough for guests but easy enough for a Tuesday lunch.
You can prep components ahead and toss it together right before serving.

02 -

Dry your spinach completely after washing or the dressing will slide right off and pool at the bottom of the bowl.
Dress the salad just before serving, not earlier, or the spinach will wilt and lose its fresh snap.
If you add all the vinaigrette at once, you might over-dress it, so start with half and add more as needed.

03 -

Tear larger spinach leaves by hand instead of cutting them, it keeps the edges from bruising and looking brown.
Warm the goat cheese slightly in your hands before crumbling, it breaks into softer, creamier pieces that melt a little when they hit the salad.
Add a pinch of flaky sea salt right before serving for a final burst of flavor and texture.